The invention relates to power-driven conveyors generally and, more specifically, to modular plastic conveyor belts with rollers retained in belt modules.
Embedding article-supporting rollers in modular plastic conveyor belts and retaining them in place with a retainer are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,306 describes short, widely spaced cylindrical rollers retained by retainer rings welded into place in roller cavities in a modular belt. The widely spaced rollers provide a limited amount of rolling surface to conveyed objects. Furthermore, if a weld should fail, the retainer ring, along with the unretained roller and axle, can jostle loose and contaminate conveyed products.